Inflatable flotation vest



Aug. 30, 196% s. c. SABO 2,959,488

INFLATABLE FLOTATION VEST Filed Aug; 14, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N V ENTOR. S TEPHEN C. SABO BY g Wfw AT TY.

Aug. 30, 1960 s. c. SABO 2,950,488

INFLATABLE FLOTATION VEST Filed Aug. 14, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3 60vIQ IN V EN TOR.

ATTY.

TEPHEN C. SABO Aug. 30, 1960 s. c. SABO 2,950,488

' INFLATABLE FLOTATION VEST Filed Aug. 14, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG?INVENTOR. S EPHEN C. SABO Aug. 30, 1960 s. c. SABO 2,950,488

INFLATABLE FLOTATION VEST Filed Aug. 1 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.12.

INVENTOR. F's. 15 By/gE PHg C. SABO ATTIC nited States Patent INFLATABLEFLOTATION VEST Stephen Sabo, Barber-ton, Ohio, assignor to The B. F.Goodrich Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Aug.14, 1956, Ser. No. 603,898

7 Claims. (Cl. 9316) The invention relates to inflatable articles withone or more individual fluid-inflatable Walled chambers and especiallyto inflatable flotation garments including vests, life-preservers andthe like with superimposed non-communicating chambers for sustaining thewearer safely in water.

Aviators flying military airplanes are sometimes compelled, due tofailure of the airplane, to bail-out and subsequently land in the waterof an ocean and the like. Since military aviators are generally wearingat least a parachute and a special type of flying suit to permit them tofly at high altitudes, it is essential that they be provided withflotation garments such, for example, as snug fitting, inflatable vestscapable of sustaining the wearer safely in water. Preferably, theinflatable flotation vests not only should accommodate the harness ofparachute, but should include provision for a strong attachment to thewearer and for carrying emergency oxygen bottles and other articlespromoting the safety of the wearer during the parachute descent and alsowhile floating in the water. It is important that the flotation vesthave provision of a self-righting feature, so that the aviator iscompelled to float upon his back in the water with his head and facesupported above the surface of the water, since the aviator may be in aconscious or an unconscious condition at the time he lands in the waterfeet or even head first.

Prior inflatable vests of the single chamber type for the occupants ofboats, ocean liners, aircraft and the like have been subject to punctureand deflation and have generally lacked the self-righting feature; hencethey are objectionable. Also, prior inflatable vests of other types havebeen unduly cumbersome, loose fitting and otherwise objectionable asfrom undue interference with the movement of the wearer, while thelatter is floating in water, or operating the aircraft.

Objects of the invention are to provide an improved inflatable flotationarticle or garment, especially a flotation vest with a self-rightingfeature and of increased buoyancy and safety; to provide for such anarticle or garment with individual, inflatable, Walled chambers orcompartments, especially superimposed chambers; to provide forindependent inflation of each chamber; to provide for pressure inflationof at least one chamber and yieldably pillowing the wearers head andmaintaining the head forwardly and upwardly relative to the torso; toprovide for compelling the wearer to float upon his back in the waterwith his head and face above the surface of the water i.e. aself-righting function; to provide for preventing sealing of the wallsof the chambers against one another at the shoulder cross-over regionsof the garment; to provide for conveniently attaching and snugly fittingthe garment or vest to the wearers body and for avoiding inflatedportions of the vest beneath the wearers arms and along the sides of historso; to provide for accommodating the parachute harness of the wearer;to provide for carrying articles promoting the safety of ,for oralinflation of at least one chamber; to provide for v the wearer in airand in water; to provide for freedom of movement of the wearer; and toprovide for simplicity of construction, compactness, convenience ofmanufacture and for effectiveness of operation.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from thefollowing description:

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification andin which like numerals are employed throughout to designate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a plan view facing toward the front side of a dividedinflatable flotation vest in a closed, extended, uninflated conditionand constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention, partsbeing broken away,

Fig. 2 is a. view showing the closed flotation vest inflated andsupporting an aviator upon his back in water, while yieldably pillowinghis head so that it is tilted upwardly with his mouth and nose above thewater level,

Fig. 3 is a plan view like Fig. l but showing the flotation vest in theopen, extended condition, parts being broken away,

Fig. 4 is a plan view facing toward the back side of the flotation vestin the open, extended condition, parts being broken away,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken along line 6-6 in Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 77 in Fig. 4,

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 88 in Fig. 4,

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9--9 in Fig. 4,

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 1010 in Fig. 3,

Fig, 11 is aside elevation of a back attaching pack portion as viewedfrom the right side of the latter as shown in Fig. 3, parts being brokenaway,

Fig. 12 is a plan view like Fig. 3 but showing a modified constructionof the flotation vest,

Fig. 13 is a sectional View taken along line 13-13 in Fig. 12,

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken along line 14-14 in Fig. 12, and

Fig. 15 is a sectional View taken along line 1515 in Fig. 12.

The construction of the inflatable flotation vest 20 shown in Figs. 1 to11, inclusive, includes a pair of circumferentially spaced collarportions 21, 21 each of generally arcuate segmental configuration inplan for crossing over the wearers shoulders and for fitting againstopposite sides of the wearers neck, a head rest portion 22 integral andmerging with and projecting outwardly away from the segmental collarportions 21, 21 at their back end region for fitting against the backpart of the wearers neck and for pillowing the wearers head, and a torsoportion 23 integral and merging with and projecting outwardly away fromthe segmental collar portions 21, 21 at their front end region forfitting against the front part of the wearers neck and for positioninglengthwise of the wearers torso at the front only thereof, all of whichportions are inflatably distensible for flotation in water purposes. Theflotation vest 20 preferably includes a non-inflatable hollow back packportion 24 beneath the head rest portion 22 and secured thereto and tothe collar portions 21, 21 at their back region in the manner shownespecially in Fig. 4. The arrangement, by virtue of the coactinginflatable front torso portion 23 and the inflatable head rest portion22, has provision for supporting and maintaining the wearer upon hisback in Water, while yieldably pillowing and continuously supporting hishead so that it is tilted forwardly and 7 .3 upwardly with his mouth thewater.

The integrally, united, inflatable collar, head rest and torso portionsof the flotation vest 20am formed by a plurality of plies, preferablyfour plies 25, 26, 27, 28,

' :of flexible, fluid-impervious material such, for example,

as nylon, rayon, cotton, linen and other suitable strong, square-woventextile fabric sheet material with a thin im- 7 pervious layer ofnatural or synthetic rubber, or other rubber-like material on one orboth sides of the fabric. Desirably, the .plies 25, 26, 27, 28 are eachof lightweight, square-woven nylon fabric, the outer 25 and in- .ner 28plies having a thin impervious layer or coating of neoprene(polychloroprene) on one side only, which coated side is preferablydisposed at the interior of the aforesaid inflatable portions, while theintermediate plies 26 and 27 have a similar impervious layer of neopreneon both sides of the nylon fabric.

The plies 25 to 28, inclusive, of fluid-impervious nylon fabric sheetmaterial of the desired configuration are superimposed and joinedtogether in sealing relation,

, as by a suitable neoprene'liquid cement of the air-curing type,continuously along their superimposed, narrow, peripherahmarginalportions and their marginal portions bounding a neck opening in the vestand are in separated or unattached relation one to the otherintermediate the joined marginal portions, as shown especially in Fig.5. Reinforcing crotch tapes 29, 30, 31 of neoprene treated woven textilefabric'material are suitably adhesively attached continuously along andat the junction of the joined marginal portions, a crotch tape beingpositioned between each pair of adjacent plies in the manvner shown, toresist separation of the adhered marginal head-rest parts of eachindividual non-communicating inflatable chamber 33, 34, 35, a ventingmeans or thin,

and nose above the surface of V as the torso portion 23 is preferablydivided longitudinally for ease of donning purposes, each arc-uatesegmental collar portion 21 merges with one of the two parts of thedivided torso portion 23 and with the head rest portion 22. Each arcuatesegmental collar portion 21 may have a laterally or radially extendingstrap 40 of suitable treated nylon fabric adhered or otherwise attachedto the underside (side nearest the wearers shoulder) of the collarportion and extending away from narrow, flat strip 36, 37, 38 offlexible rubber-like materialwith a longitudinally ribbed ventingsurface may be adhesively attached, as by a suitable neoprene liquidcement of the air-curing type, to a wall of each chamber 33, 34, 35 withthe ribbed venting surface uppermost or exposed within the chamber, asshown especially intFig. 6. A group of three superimposed, ventingstrips extend, as shown especially in Fig. 4, from a position in theupper region of the torso parts of the chambers 33,

'34, 35 at one side of the vest part way circumferentially along thecollar parts of the chambers to a position adjacent the lower region ofthe head rest parts of the chambers. A similar group of venting stripsis similarly venting sealing of the walls of the respective chambersagainst one another in the uninflated condition of the vest, even thoughstraps of a parachute harness (shown in part in broken lines in Fig. 3at portion 24), for example, overlie and press against the collarportions 21, 21 at both shoulder cross-over regions thereof.

The inflatable collar portions 21, 21, head rest 22 I and torso 23portions are preferably each of the particular shape in plan shown inFigs. 3 and 4. Inasmuch the side edges thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. Thestrap at its respective ends may be provided with female 41 and male 42members of one or more snap fasteners, so that the strap, when vclosedand fastened, will overlie and hold in place a strap of the parachuteharness, where it extends over the shoulder region of the collarportion.

The head rest portion 22 may be multi-sided, oblong, circular, oval orother suitable shape and of sufficient dimensions, especially lateralextent or width, to function effectively as a pillow for the wearershead and to prevent the head from slipping ofi the sides of the portion22 into the water, when the chambers in the portion'22 are inflated.However, for the particular embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the head restportion in plan is not only of suflicient dimensions laterally tofunction as stated but is generally triangular with slightly laterallycurved, diverging sides extending outwardly from the outer margins ofand at the laterally spacedback or rearward end regions of the collarportions tothe straight sided base of the triangle substantially remotefrom the collar portions 21, 21. This generally triangular shapeaccommodates extending the straps of the parachute harness beneath thehead rest portion adjacent the collar portion. It is important that thehead rest portion havesufficient buoyancy and dimensions laterally andlongitudinally to effectively support the Wearers head out of the waterand prevent slippage of the head off the sides of such portion into thewater.

Preferably, the lower wall of the head rest portion 22 and the upperwall of the collar portions 21,21 at their back end regions are providedwith spaced-apart female 41 and male 42 parts of snap fasteners locatedas shown inthe drawings, so that in the uninflated condition of the headrest portion, it can be rolled into a compact roll and releasably heldrolled-up by the engagement of the snap fasteners. Upon inflation of thevest, the inflating pressure and pull on the walls of the rolled headrest portion 22 causes disengagement of the snap fasteners and thisdisengagement permits the extension and inflation of the head restportion.

The divided torso portion 23 may be of elongated form and extends fromthe collar portions 21, 21 at their front end regions downwardly alongthe front but not the sides of the wearers torso to about the region ofhis hips, and terminates at its lower end in opposed,

laterally-extending projections 43, 44 which may be lobes of roundedform in plan, as shown in Fig. 3. A strap and buckle structure 78, 79 isprovidedat and secured to each outer margin of the torso portion and isspaced upwardly from the adjacent lobe for attaching purposes. Themargins of the torso portion at its divide may have fabric stringers ortapes of a known type of slide fastener 45 adhesively or otherwisesecurely attached to such margins for detachably joining the two partsof the divided torso portion as shown in Fig. 1. Each lobe 43, 44 at itsfront or upper wall maybe provided with vertically spaced-apart female41 and male 42 parts of snap :fasteners to faciiitate folding upwardlythe material in the lower zone of the uninflated lobe, so as to avoidhindrance with movement of the wearers hips and/or legs, when the weareris seated. These snap fasteners quickly disengage to permit unfolding ofthetlobs 43, 44 when the vest is inflated.

A' laterally-extending attaching strap 46, 47 of strong webbing or othersuitable fabric may be attached adhesively and sewed to each lobe 43,"44 at its back or latter while it is within the container.

lower Wall and projects beyond the margins of the lobe, the strap 46being the longest to extend around the wearers back and engage anadjusting buckle 48 of the other strap 47. The zone of attachment,indicated at A in Fig. 4, is desirably less than the lateral length ofthe lobe and adjacent the lower end of the slide fastener 45 tofacilitate inflating distension of the lobe. The attaching strap 47 isprovided at its free end with the quick-acting, adjusting buckle 48. Theattaching straps 46, 47, when joined by means of the buckle 48, extendentirely across the wearers back to securely hold the vest in place inits uninflated and its inflated conditions. Each attaching strap 46, 47is provided with a pair 'of snap fastener parts 41, 41 at a positionslightly spaced from the outer margin of the adjacent lobe.

A laterally-extending attaching strap 80, 81 of suitable webbing orfabric is suitably attached to the fabric in the front or upper wall ofeach lobe so as to extend outwardly along and overlie the adjacentunderlying attaching strap 46, 47 and is provided at its free end with apair of snap fastener parts 42, 42. Each attaching strap 80, 81 is ofsuflicient length beyond the margin of the lobe to be loosely foldedinwardly upon itself, in the uninflated condition of the vest, with itsfastener parts 42, 42 engaging the fastener parts 41, 41 of the adjacentattaching strap 46, 47 in the uninflated closed condition of the vestwith the straps 46, 47 engaged, whereby this construction facilitiesfull inflating distension of the lobes without creating undue tensionand tautness in the engaged attaching straps 46, 47 encircling thewearers body hence efiecting undue squeezing pressure against theWearers torso, and at the same time this construction maintains thelobes in the desired position at the lower frontal region of the wearerstorso to promote the desired self-righting functioning of the vest.

When the flotation vest is to be used for aviation purposes, it may beprovided, if desired, at the torso portion 23 with other attachingstraps and fastening means (not shown) for engagement with coactingfastening means on the flying suit (not shown) and on the parachuteharness. If desired, pockets or other containers formed of suitablefabric material (not shown) and adapted to receive pack- .ages of sharkrepellant material and emergency flares and other related accessories,may be mounted on the front wall of the torso portion at spaced-apartlocations thereon.

For pressure inflation of the inner or back chamber 33, that is thechamber nearest the wearers body when the flotation vest is being Worn,an inflating valve structure comprising a flanged rubber body 49 and acylindrical metal tubular stem 50 is mounted on the fabric ply 28 at onelobe of the torso portion 23 and is in communication with the chamber33, as shown in Figs. 4 and 8. The flange of the rubber body 49 isadhesively attached to the fabric ply 28, and a circular bleeder pad 51of suitable rubber-like material with a ribbed upper surface isadhesively attached to the adjacent fabric ply 27 immediately overlyingor underneath the rubber body 49 to prevent sealing of the latteragainst the ply 27, which sealing resists inflating the walled chamber33. The cylindrical metal stem 5! may have along the upper part of itslength an external flat surface 52, and may have external screw threads50a and a sealing gasket 50b at its upper end for engaging a suitablehold-down threaded nut (no-t shown).

The smooth flat surface 52 contacts and mates with a correspondingsecond flat surface in a known type of carbon dioxide (CO cartridgecontainer and puncturing means 53 to resist rotation of the same. Thecontainer and puncturing means 53 has a laterally projecting, annularportion including said second flat surface adapted to slip over the endof the stem 59 and to be held on the metal stem 50 by the hold-down nut.The CO gas under pressure is released from the cartridge by puncturingthe The released gas passes through a port 54 in the stem 50 and thenthrough the bore in the stem into the inner chamber 33, thereby 6 fullyinflating and distending the collar, head rest and torso parts of thelatter chamber.

The valve stem structure and the cartridge container and puncturingmeans 53 may be protected by an overlying fabric cover 55 suitablyshaped and adhesively attached to the fabric back ply 28 of one lobe ofthe torso portion, as shown in Fig. 4, an access flap and snap fas tenerarrangement 56 in the cover 55 facilitating access to the cartridgecontainer and puncturing means 53 and the removal of the containedcartridge, when desired. The cartridge puncturing means can be manuallyoperated externally of the cover 55 by a suitable pull cord 57 whichextends beyond the cover.

For pressure inflation of the intermediate chamber 34, a secondinflating valve structure is suitably attached and mounted on the otherlobe of the torso portion 23 at the back of the latter portion, as shownin Figs. 4 and 9. The second valve structure is like that of the firstvalve structure and has its flanged rubber body 49 adhered to the fabricply 27, and its threaded and ported metal stem 50 in communication withthe intermediate chamber 34. A suitable circular, ribbed bleeder pad 51is adhered to the adjacent fabric ply 26 immediately overlying orundemeath the rubber body 49, as shown in Fig. 9. A similar known typeof carbon dioxide cartridge container and puncturing means 53 is mountedand held on the stem 5i) of the second inflating valve structure at theback of the lobe in a manner like that described hereinabove for thefirst inflating valve structure, and can be manually operated by asuitable pull cord 57. A suitable protec tive fabric cover 55 with flaparrangement 56 may be attached to the back ply 28 of the lobe andarranged to overlie the second inflating valve structure and thecartridge container and puncturing means 53 mounted thereon. This secondinflating arrangement functions in a manner like that of the firstdescribed inflating arrangement, but produces full inflating distensionof the collar,

. head rest and torso parts of the intermediate chamber 34.

Normally, the pressure inflation and distension of the two chambers 33and 34 by the CO gas under pressure produces the desired differential incenters of buoyancy of the head rest and torso portions forself-righting purposes and suflicient displacement of water by the vestto provide adequate buoyancy to support the wearer of the flotation vestin the desired manner in the water even though the wearer be encumbered,for example, with a flying suit and other paraphernalia used foraviation purposes. If for any reason one of the chambers 33, 34 can notbe inflated, or if increased water-displacement and hence buoyancy ofthe flotation vest is desired, the outer or front inflatable walledchamber 35 may be orally inflated using the mouth and exhaust breath ofthe wearer for this purpose. To these ends, there is provided at theupper region of one part of the divided torso portion 23, a flexible,flanged rubber tube 58 of suitable length with its base flange mountedadhesively on the exterior surface of the outer or front fabric ply 25,the tube 58 being in communication with the front inflatable walledchamber 35, as shown in Figs. 3 and 10. A suitable known type of oralinflating valve 59 is mounted on the free end of the tube 58 forinsertion into the mouth of the wearer. The tube 58 and valve 59 may beheld in a position out of the Way of the wearer by the adjacent strap 40in the closed condition until the wearer desires to make use of thefront inflatable walled chamber 35.

The particular construction of the flotation vest shown in Figs. 3 and4, includes the non-inflatable back pack portion 24, preferably hollowand of rectangular shape in plan, which may be attached adhesively tothe lower wall of the head rest portion 22 at its neck region by anextension of a front or a back wall of the portion 24. The back packportion 24 underlies the head rest portion 22 and can be positionedagainst and along the wearers back. The front and back walls of greaterlength than width and the narrow side and end walls of the back packgear of the wearer.

portion, as shown in Figs. 3, 4-and'l0, may bemade of non-impervious,square-woven nylon fabric and may be 'sewedor otherwise suitablyfastened together to provide a relatively shallow, flexible-walled,hollow receptacle for articles which for flight purposes may include anemergency oxygen bottle and other miscellaneous flight V The two sidewalls and partof the upper end wall of the portion 24 adiacent theneckregion of the head rest portion 22. may be slitted and the fabricmargins at the slits may be detachably joined by slide fasteners 60, 61or other suitable separable fasteners, as shown in Fig. 3, to permitthe, insertion and removal of articles from the back pack portion 24..A. laterallyextending strap 62 of strong webbing *or other suitablematerial may be fastened to the inside surface of the inner wall of theback. pack portion 24 as by sewing and may be located approximatelymidway the length of the portion, projecting end portions of the straphaving substantial length extend through and laterally away from theside walls of the portionl for engagement with the adjusting buckles ofthe attaching straps 78 and 79, respectively, on the torso portion 23.At the lower end of the portion 24 on its outer wall is sewed a suitablefabric guide strip 82 for overlying and accommodating the attachingstrap 46, as shown especially in Fig. 3.

When the flotation vest in the closed condition shown in Fig. l is wornover a flying suit and associated with a parachute harness, a pair ofthe straps of the harness may extend over the wearers shoulders at thecollar portions 21, 21 and then without interference from the head restportion 22 by virtue of its generally triangular shape, such straps ofthe harness may criss-cross one another .along the outer wall of theback pack portion 24 as shown in broken lines in Fig. 3. In this case,spaced-apart strips of suitable nylon fabric shown in broken lines atthe desired positions may be secured suitably to the outer wall of theportion 24 to: maintain the crossed straps of the harness in position.

The modified construction of the inflatable flotation vest shown inFigs. 12, 13, 214 and 15, includes the features of but differs from theflotation vest described hereinabove in that the torso portion isintegral and not longitudinally divide-d nor provided with a slidefastener arrangement; that the head rest portion is of straight-sided,approximately rectangular configuration in plan; that the attaching backflap is not hollow nor adapted for receiving articles; and that theattaching means at each of the lobes is constituted by a strap andbuckle arrangement for attachment to the wearer.

The inner or back 63 and intermediate 64 inflatable chambers in thetorso portion 65 have their continuous, flexible, impervious, nylonfabric walls, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, adhesively unitedlongitudinally along a narrow central zone in the portion 65 to providean internal partition 65a separating the inflatable parts of each of thechambers 63, 64 in such portion. The outer or front inflatable chamber66 has no internal partition between the margins of the torso portion65. i

All parts of each of the back and intermediate chambers are pressureinflated by suitable individual inflating means constructed and arrangedin the torso portion at its back wall in the manner described for theflotation vest shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. Like the front inflatablechamber of the first described vest, the front inflatable chamber 66 isfor increased buoyancy or for emergency purposes and may be orallyinflated by the mouth of the wearer by virtue of the suitable inflatingtube and valve 'means 67.

head above the surface of the water. However, the nontriangular form ofthe head rest portion 68 requires a relatively wider spacing of the,straps of the. parachute harness at their shoulder cross-over regions.

f The attaching back flap portion 70. separated fromand underlying thehead rest portion, .may be maideof two thicknesses of suitable nylonfabric abutting and united throughout as by cementing or stitching orboth, and secured to the head rest portion 68 and the collar portions6?, 69 along the line 73, and is provided with a pair of spaced-apart,laterally extending attaching strips 71, 72 suitably secured or sewed tothe portion 70 for adjustably engaging strap and buckle structures 77,77 and 83, 83, respectively, secured to the torso portion 76 of thevest.

The lobes 74, 75 of the undivided torso portion 76 may each be providedat its upper margin with the outwardly projecting strap and bucklestructure'77, 77, as shown in Fig. 12. This permits the separableattachment of the torso portion 65 to the suit of the wearer.

The respective flotation vests described hereinabove have provision foreasy donning and doffing by the wearer and advantageously produceincreased buoyancy by virtue of the plurality of non-communicating,superimposed, individual, inflatable chambers, and also increased safetyin case one of the walls of the back or front chambers is puncturedaccidentally. The inflatable head rest feature assures maintenance ofthe head of the wearer with .or without a helmet thereon in an upwardlyand forwardly inclined relationship to the torso and facilitates keepingthe mouth and nose of the wearer above the surface of the water, whilepreventing slippage of the wearers head ofl the sides of the inflatedhead rest portion. The flotation vests accommodate the straps of theparachute harness of an aviator and are conveniently separably attachedto the flying suit of the aviator, even though the flying suit be of theinflatable type.

Also, the flotation vests, when wornby the wearer and inflated witheither two or three chambers fully distended, each has its center ofbuoyancy at and somewhat above the front of the wearers torso so thatthe wearer is compolled to float upon his back in the water with hishead above the surface of the water i.e. a self-righting feature,whether the wearer enter the water head first or feet first in aconscious or unconscious condition. This is an important advantage ofthe flotation vest, especially for aviation purposes.

Variations may be made without departing from the scope of the inventionas it is defined in the following claims.

I claim: a

1. An inflatable flotation vest comprising a plurality of superimposedplies of substantially fluid-impervious flexible sheetmaterialpermanently joined to each other at their peripheral margins and attheir margins bounding a neck opening in the vest thereby providing aplurality of superimposed individual inflatable chambers with eachchamber continuous throughout all inflatable portions of the vest, thesaid inflatable portions including a head rest portion and a torsoportion extending longitudinally away from opposite portions of the saidmargin of the neck opening and connected by collar portions extendingalong either side of the neck opening, each collar portion being oflesser lateral width than said head rest portion with the latter havingan area and volume such as to support the wearers head and with thewidth of the torso portion increasing from said collar portions to thevest portion adjacent the waist of the wearer, means for individuallyinflating said chambers throughout the said head rest, torso and collarportions thereof, and means for detachably securing the vest upon thewearers body.

2. An inflatable flotation vest comprising a plurality of superimposedplies of substantially flui'ddmpervious flexible sheet materialpermanently joined to each other at their outer peripheral margins andat their margins bounding a neck opening in the vest and providing aplurality of superimposedindividual inflatable chambers consti tuting ahead rest portion extending longitudinally away from the margin of saidneck opening md of sufiicient dimensions longitudinally and laterally soas to contact the back of the wearers head and yieldably support thehead in forwardly inclined relation to the wearer's torso, a torsoportion at the front of the neck opening spaced longitudinally from saidhead rest portion and extending longitudinally away from said margin ofthe neck opening and terminating remote therefrom in generally lobe-likelateral-extending projections and positionable along and beyond thechest of the wearers torso, and integral laterally spaced collarportions at the sides of the neck open ing extending longitudinallyalong said margin of the neck opening and between said head rest portionand said torso portion, each col ar portion being of lesser lateralwidth than said head rest portion, means in communication with each ofsaid chambers for individually inflating said chambers throughout thesaid head rest, torso and collar portions thereof, and means secured tosaid torso portion including means at the region of said lobe-likelateral projections thereof for detachably retaining the vest upon thewearers body.

3. An inflatable flotation vest as defined in claim 2 in which saidtorso portion is longitudinally divided throughout its length with thesuperimposed plies of the torso portion permanently joined to each otherat the margins of the divide, and inwhich slide fastener means issecured to said margins for separably joining the same, and snapfastener means is mounted on said torso portion at said lobe-likelateral projections for detachably securing said projections in inwardlyfolded disposition upon underlying adjacent parts of the torso portion.

4. An inflatable flotation vest as defined in claim 2 in which said headrest portion is of generally triangular confi uration in plan with thebase of the triangle remote from said margin of the neck opening, and inwhich an attaching back portion is secured to said margin of the neckopening and extends longitudinally therefrom in underlying unattachedrelation to said head rest portion for positioning against the wearersback, and strap means is mounted on said back portion for detachablyengaging said torso portion.

5. An inflatable flotation vest as defined in claim 2 in which anon-inflatable hollow elongated back portion has one wall thereofsecured to said margin of the neck opening and extends longitudinallytherefrom in underlying unattached relation to he head rest portion forpositioning against the Wearers back, the opposite Wall of said backportion having an elongated slit therein extending part way alongopposite sides and entirely across the said back portion for admittingan article into said back portion, and slide fastener means fordetachably joining the margins of said slit.

6. An inflatable flotation vest as defined in claim 2 in which each ofthe said superimposed chambers in each of said collar portions includesa longitudinally-ribbed venting strip of resilient rubber secured to awall of the chamher and extending longitudinally the entire length ofthe collar portion to maintain communication of the said chambers in thetorso portion with the said chambers in said head rest portion, and inwhich each of said collar portions is of generally arcuate shape in planto conform to said margin of the neck opening.

7. An inflatable flotation vest as defined in clairn 2 in which the saidjoined superimposed plies constituting the walls of two adjacentsuperimposed chambers in said torso portion are integrally united one tothe other along a longitudinal line inwardly spaced from the oppositeside outer peripheral margins of the torso portion and extending theentire length of the torso portion to divide said two adjacentsuperimposed chambers and provide two independent inflating spaces ineach of the said two adjacent chambers in said torso portion, a thirdchamber in said torso portion being uninterrupted throughout its area.

References Iited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,064,743 Kepler June 17, 1913 1,245,033 Ross Get. 30, 1917 1,257,044Stosser Feb. 19, 1918 2,128,423 Manson Aug. 30, 1938 2,563,122 LevineAug. 7, 1951 2,621,342 Boyle Dec. 16, 1952 2,742,654 Hurt Apr. 24, 1956FOREIGN PATENTS 647,188 Great Britain Dec. 6, 1950

